Free Next to Me by Emily Walker

eyes on her as he drew Lila to his side.
    “I don’t care how you get home, Whitney.” Throwing some money at her, he said, “There’s some for the taxi. I wouldn’t take you home for anything tonight.” With that, he guided Lila away from the table, and Whitney watched them leave.
    Whitney couldn’t believe he had chosen that girl over her. She stumbled back up to the bar and asked for another. It wouldn’t be long before she was cut off, but at least he had provided her the money she needed for it.

    Zane helped Lila in the truck and tried to suppress his anger. How could she act like that? How could she say such stupid shit? He was angry with her, and angry with himself for not realizing sooner that Whitney was a lost cause.
    “I’m so sorry about her, Lila.” He started the truck up and pulled out onto the road.
    “Don’t be. I had a great time and got to eat a fabulous dinner. Hey, it even had a little show afterward.” She put her hand on his arm to show him she was serious. He breathed a sigh of relief that Whitney hadn’t scared her away. He didn’t even want to talk to her. She may have been his best friend, but she was going to have to get her shit together, without him.
    “So you’re saying you would want to go out with me again?” He glanced at her sideways, hoping he knew the answer.
    “Yes, I would go out with you again.” He was happy and walked her to the door when they got back to the house. She stood on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his. The giggles that erupted inside told him her roommates had waited up on her, and he laughed as he told her good night.
    His father wasn’t much better when he came in to find him waiting up for him.
    “So how did your date go?” Dustin leaned forward on the couch. He was eating something out of a bowl and Tremors was on the TV.
    “Are you eating popcorn? Did you pop popcorn to talk about my date?”
    “No, the popcorn is for the movie.”
    “It went well, Dad. I really like her.”
    Dustin perked up. “So I can start planning for grandkids?”
    “Dad, come on, let’s not jump the gun. There’s plenty of time for you to have grandkids.”
    “You’re my only chance at them, Son, keep that in mind.” Zane chuckled as he left his dad to his tremors.

    Whitney woke up on the floor beside her couch. As usual she had gotten blackout drunk and let some random barfly take her home and spend the night. She was embarrassed and angry at herself in the morning, but couldn’t bring herself to text Zane and apologize.
    She had to go to work today too, and that was not going to be a fun time at all. She checked her stash and decided she better save the last line for when she got home and could enjoy it. Checking her phone, she saw a text from Walter.
    Thanks again for last night. Can’t wait to see you again soon.
    She wrinkled up her nose. He sure was a strange one. He intrigued her and confused her all at once, but she still couldn’t deny that she wanted his attention. When she got to work the girls would all be waiting to ask her about him. They had been nice enough not to mention the incident at Lisa’s party, but they would be nosy about if he was still being strange. Now she wished she hadn’t bragged about him to them and how wonderful he was until she really knew he was that wonderful.
    She couldn’t stop thinking about how she acted in front of Zane and his date. What had gotten into her? She was sure all the vodkas on the rocks hadn’t done her judgment any favors. Zane deserved a good girl, she just always thought he was in love with her, and he would never stop. It kind of hurt to think he could find someone else, but even she realized that was her being self-centered and ridiculous.
    She would let him calm down and then visit him when he wasn’t as mad. Now to get this random dude out of her bed so she could go to work. She didn’t feel a bit guilty about him. It wasn’t like Walter was her boyfriend, and he